Expect a warm Christmas Day, chilly temps after

CARLSBAD -- Carlsbad can expect a warm and partly sunny Christmas, but the higher temperatures won't last for long.

The city will have a high of about 71 degrees with southwest winds of 5 to 10 miles per hour and 10 to 15 miles per hour in the afternoon.

"We have this upper level storm system coming in from the west. And we'll have what's called a surface trope developing ahead of this storm system. That creates kind of a surface low-pressure area, which helps temperatures to warm up slightly," said Michelle Schuldt, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service at the Midland/Odessa Weather Forecast Office.

Schuldt said it looks like only the Southeast New Mexico-West Texas area will experience those warmer temperatures on Friday.

The low temperature Friday night will be 43 degrees with mostly cloudy skies with 5 to 10 mile-per-hour southwest winds shifting northwest after midnight. Schuldt said a "pretty significant" cold front will then come through Carlsbad on Saturday Morning.

Saturday's high is expected to be about 47 degrees with mostly cloudy skies, a 30 percent chance of showers and north winds of up to 20 miles per hours gusting into 30 to 35 mile-per-hour winds. The low temperature is expected to be about 25 degrees with a 90 percent chance of rain and snow, becoming all snow after 11 p.m.

"During the day Saturday, the temperatures will be in the process of dropping. It looks like the cold air will be in place by Sunday," Schuldt said.

Sunday's high is expected to be about 27 degrees with a 90 percent chance of precipitation, featuring widespread blowing snow and at times heavy snowfall.

Schuldt said strong winds are also expected with this cold front on Sunday, indicating significant drops in temperatures. The low will be about 23 degrees, mostly cloudy with blustery winds, with snow also likely being in the forecast.

At this point in time, Schuldt said Carlsbad could easily see about 5 to 6 total inches of snow - maybe even more than that - before the storm system starts exiting the city on Monday morning.

There will still be a slight chance of snow on Monday, with a high of about 32 degrees and mostly sunny skies. Although conditions will be mostly clear on Monday night, the low temperature will be about 14 degrees. Carlsbad will experience sunny skies and a slight high temperature increase again on Tuesday, with a high of about 34 degrees.

Schuldt said high temperatures are expected to stay in the 30s through New Year's Eve.

Current-Argus Sports Editor Matt Hollinshead may be reached at 575-628-5518.